Portal to Middle Earth
by anipotter13
Summary: A blood elf paladin, orc shaman, and goblin mage take a portal and find themselves in an unknown land. They run into our favorite dwarf and elf duo. Oneshot. I own nothing from WoW or LotR.


Quinnadir, Bixi, and Tythiri stepped out of the portal into a forest. They looked around, startled.

"I don't think this is Orgrimmar," Quinnadir said. Tythiri said nothing, her surprised look changing to one of shock and wonder. Bixi wringed her hands together.

"I thought I got the incantation right! That's how my trainer said it was supposed to go," she said, looking around anxiously.

"I don't think this is Azeroth," Tythiri murmured in her guttural voice. When Quinnadir and Bixi looked at her, she elaborated, "The spirits feel...at ease here. There is none of the turmoil that I felt on Kalimdor. Either this place has been spared the anger of the elements or this is another world altogether." The blood elf quirked an eyebrow.

"Where are we then?" Her orc companion shrugged. Bixi grabbed her ponytails and starting pulling on them.

"I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to send us here," she wailed. Quinn put a hand on her shoulder, stopping her near-panic.

"It's alright, Bixi. We understand that magic doesn't always work properly. Maybe you could think about what you said and make sure you got it all right." Bixi nodded, and started muttering words of power under her breath, trying to remember her exact wording of the incantation. Tythiri nodded at Quinn.

legged and closed her eyes, going into a trance. Quinnadir sighed and sat down next to her, pulling her shield off her back and laying it on the ground. After a minute, Tythiri's eyes shot open. "Someone's coming." Quinnadir stood up, grabbing her shield and putting her hand to her sword. Bixi squeaked, her muttering cut short by Tythiri's statement. Pulling out her sword, Quinn felt eyes watching them. She turned slowly in a circle, trying to discern where the intruders were.

"Bixi, stay between Tythiri and I," Quinnadir told the goblin, who nodded and swallowed hard.

"We will protect you, young one," Tythiri added. The mage scrambled in between her two taller companions and gripped her staff. For a moment, all was silent as the three waited tensely. The silence was cut short by a deep war cry from somewhere to their right. Instantly, a barrier seemingly made of air surrounded the group. At the same time, Tythiri held her staff out in front of her and a totem appeared at her feet.

Quinn yelped in surprise as an arrow, its movement slower than normal but still fast enough to be fatal, bounced off her invisible shield, aimed at her chest. Looking back up, she saw a...human? pulling out a pair of long knives, bow lying on the ground, his movements slowed by the orc's totem. Behind him, she saw a smaller form moving slowly up to his side as she felt her shield dissipate. They stopped a few feet away, obviously put off by the strength shown by the companions.

"A dwarf and a human?" She asked, glancing sideways at her companion, her sword held out in front of her and her shield held up, but slightly out, to defend against any attack made towards Bixi. The orc studied the two, who were still moving slower than normal, but obviously prepared to attack. "Are you sure we're not on Azeroth still?"

Tythiri's eyes moved up and down the dwarf's partner. "He doesn't look human to me," she said slowly. Quinnadir looked at the one who had almost shot her and realized that his features were more refined than a human's. Tall and thin, but obviously well-muscled, he was dressed in leathers of muted greens and browns, allowing him to blend in easily with the trees and brush surrounding them. Glancing at his face, she noticed his ears were delicately pointed and her eyes widened. He said something in an unknown language, the demand behind his words almost ruined by his musical voice. The dwarf beside him, wearing mail armor, glared at them, brandishing a large axe.

"Do either of you understand them?" Quinn asked, not taking her eyes off them. She noticed that their gaze kept drifting to Tythiri. The dwarf muttered something to his companion darkly, glaring daggers at the orc, and spat in her direction. Quinn growled and took a step forward, preparing to throw her shield at them if they moved to attack. Bixi's frightened squeak made her pause, and turned the attention of the two aggressors from Tythiri to the goblin. When they saw her, the taller man's glare sent Bixi stumbling backwards into Tythiri, her staff shaking.

"Calm, little Bixi. We will not let them harm you," she murmured quietly. The dwarf and his friend had raised their weapons again, the dwarf almost bouncing in his eagerness to attack. Quinn took a small step to the side to put her between the men and her companions. The dwarf glared at her.

"Bixi, you need to start working on that portal spell. I don't care if you have to take us back to that island you were stranded on," Quinnadir said, her teeth gritted in anticipation of a fight. She could feel the mana within her ready to use.

"Can you hold them off?" Tythiri asked. Quinn studied them, then nodded, a small smirk coming to her face.

"Of course. It'll be just like when we stumbled into that camp in Silithus. What are you going to do?"

"I will attempt to do something about the language barrier. Perhaps that will buy us enough time for Bixi to remember the spell. My totem should hold for a few more minutes." Quinn gave a small nod.

The dwarf growled at the human, then tried to charge forward, attempting to rush past Quinnadir when he saw Tythiri close her eyes in concentration. Quinn's shield flew out of her hands into the dwarf's stomach, and he was flung backwards onto the ground. The human moved forward, faster than the dwarf but still slow enough for Quinn to easily block his blow and put her hand out to catch her returning shield.

After a few more blocks and parries, Quinnadir realized that if Tythiri's totem hadn't been slowing the human's movements, she would not be faring as well as she was. The frustration on his face was plain to see at his slowed movements, even though he was having no trouble keeping Quinn on her toes. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the dwarf get back up, obviously winded by her shield thrust, but still determined to get to his goal. He glanced at her and his partner, then turned his attention back to the orc and goblin and started forward again.

Quinn called to the mana within her and bolts of light shot out of her body and hit the human and the dwarf, stunning both for a split second. The dwarf growled loudly, finally turning his attention to her. She dodged the strike he sent towards her midsection while holding her sword up to block the human's first dagger, and had to spin quickly to get her shield in place to block the second.

"How're you doing, 'Thiri? I can't hold them off forever," Quinn called between gritted teeth, the strain of holding off both experienced warriors beginning to show. A few more seconds of silence followed her question. Her combatants had begun to coordinate their attacks, trying to unbalance her so one or the other could finish her off. Blocking the dwarf's ax, Quinn tried to keep the human in her sights, but a burning pain across her side told her she had failed. Hissing, she cursed that she had not repaired her armor before they had left, and tried to compensate by shifting her grip on her shield and holding it in front of her. She summoned the shield of air once again and backed towards Tythiri and Bixi, not wanting to give them a chance to flank her.

The dwarf's ax bounced off her invisible shield, the force of the hit rebounding and causing him to fall back a step. Having no time to heal herself, Quinn prepared to face off against them again, feeling blood dripping down her side. It wasn't a deep wound, though it stung terribly, but she could do nothing about it for now.

"Tythiri?" she asked again, not daring to glance behind her. She heard Bixi's frightened whimper as her shield dissipated. The two men still waited, apparently not aware that she was now unprotected against their attacks. Quinn heard something shift behind her, and a sudden breeze picked up then died as quickly as it had appeared.

"Stop! We mean you no harm!" Tythiri's deep voice cried out. A soft warmth filled Quinn and she felt her wound close up as Tythiri performed her simple healing spell. Tythiri's slowing totem faded into nothingness, and their attackers shifted, but did not move forward. The human looked a little confused but the dwarf growled again.

"And why should we believe that, orc?" he spat out. Quinn bit back a growl of her own.

"Because we are here completely by accident and would have gone peacefully on our way if you hadn't attacked us without provocation?" Quinn retorted sarcastically, her normally friendly personality overthrown by her warrior's instinct to defend herself and her friends.

"What are you?" the human asked, his twin blades still raised but his gaze was cautiously curious.

"I am a blood elf, of course. What are you, some kind of half-elf?" she replied, confused and wary. The man looked surprised and he lowered his knives a couple of inches.

"Where from do you hail? I have never heard of a 'blood elf' before, nor seen orcs of that color or goblins of that stature," he continued, ignoring her question.

"Our home is called Azeroth, though I doubt you have heard of it. The spirits here have never felt the touch of a Shaman, let alone an orc shaman," Tythiri answered, a smile curling around her tusks.

"They're witches," growled the dwarf. "How else could they stand against us?" The human, or half-elf, nodded slowly and Quinn shifted, testing her strength and her mana.

"They could be the result of Saruman's dark magics, and escaped the breaking of Isengard," the human agreed. "If that is so, you need to answer for your crimes against the Free Peoples of Middle Earth," he told them, his face hard as stone.

Quinn scoffed. "I can assure you, we have done nothing to your people, bad or otherwise."

"That's hard to believe, lassie, considering the company you keep," the dwarf argued, nodding darkly at Tythiri and Bixi.

"You said yourself that you have never seen another orc such as I, or a goblin like little Bixi before," Tythiri countered. "What makes you think we are anything like those on this world?"

"Because you're an orc!" The dwarf exclaimed, as if pointing out an obvious but missed point.

"Orcs are the creation of foul magics and servants of the Dark Lord," the human explained darkly, his knives rising back into an attack position.

"Maybe that's how it is in your world but not where we're from! Orcs may not be peaceful settlers wanting to farm crops but they certainly aren't all evil!" Quinn yelled, exasperated. "I can tell you countless atrocities the humans and dwarves of my world have committed."

Tythiri stepped forward, placing a hand on Quinnadir's arm. "My friend, we are not here to argue about the nature of good and evil in all races," she murmured quietly.

"You're right," Quinn agreed. She turned her head to look at the little goblin behind her, keeping watch on the human and dwarf out of the corner of her eye. "Bixi, did you figure out the spell to get us back?" Bixi nodded, her eyes still fearful.

"I think so. I just pronounced the last part wrong. I'm so sorry Quinn-" Bixi started, her gaze jumping between her friends and their attackers. The blood elf shook her head, her eyes softening.

"Just get us home." She requested, the corner of her lip curving up. She turned her full attention back to the two inhabitants of this world. "Well, this has been fun," she told them sarcastically, and the human stepped forward, mirrored a second later by the dwarf, his ax raised in anticipation. She shifted the grip on her weapon, holding it up in a guarded stance. Tythiri raised her staff, and the two stopped. Behind her, Bixi started speaking the words needed to open a portal, hopefully to Orgrimmar, her hands waving a complicated pattern in the air.

"You aren't going anywhere," the dwarf growled.

"We cannot allow you to leave," the human agreed, and took another step forward. Tythiri and Quinn shared a glance, and just as the pair charged them once more, Tythiri raised her staff, the slowing totem once again popping into existence, and Quinn hefted her shield, stepping forward to meet their attack.

"Bixi," Quinn shouted. "How much longer?" She stabbed at the human, who dodged to the side, the movement slowed but still graceful, and fast enough to avoid what would have been a painful stomach wound. The dwarf yelled a war cry and moved to her side, determined to attack the orc. No longer distracted by trying to contact the spirits of this world, Tythiri summoned a spectral wolf to fight at her side. The dwarf's eyes widened in surprise as the wolf leapt at him, protecting its master. He swiped at its head, the blow missing by inches as the wolf growled and jumped back.

The fight continued for a few more seconds, Quinn blocking a slash from one dagger with her sword and catching a stab from the other on her shield. The dwarf swung at the wolf as it jumped towards him, catching the spectral beast in the shoulder, the ax cutting through spiritual flesh. The wolf howled in agony and dropped to the ground, favoring his left side though no blood came from the wound. The wolf backed away a pace, snarling. As the dwarf stepped forward to finish him off and Tythiri took a step to help her spectral defender, Bixi's voice came from behind Quinn.

"It's open!"

"Where to?" Quinn asked in a forcibly calm voice, as if she wasn't fighting for her life.

"Orgrimmar. I can see it this time," the goblin confirmed.

"Go!" Quinn yelled at her. She spared a glance at Tythiri. "You too!" Tythiri stopped, a step behind her wolf, the dwarf's ax raised for the final blow as the wolf bared its teeth and leaned back on its haunches to leap at him. Quinn saw her friend hesitate. "Go! I'm always the last one out, remember?"

Tythiri nodded grimly, giving a small nod at her spectral wolf, acknowledging its sacrifice for her just as it jumped towards the dwarf, ethereal slaver dripping from its open jaws. The dwarf's ax caught it behind the ears, using the wolf's momentum to swing it to the side, its pained bark dying in a second as its head flew from its shoulders. The animal's body dispersed into nothingness before it hit the ground. The dwarf looked up as Tythiri backed towards the portal. "My spell will fail the instant I am gone," she reminded Quinn. Quinn nodded and the orc took the last step into the portal, her form disappearing.

Her totem disappeared from view and Quinn found herself having to duck behind her shield as the human's unnaturally fast swing almost caught her across the face. Summoning her mana, she called on her shield of air one last time and flung her shield at the human, which then rebounded into the dwarf who was charging towards the portal and back to her hand. They flew back, the dwarf knocked flat on his back, and the human turning his flight into a backwards flip, landing on his feet next to his bow.

She started backwards, and just as she stepped into the portal, saw the human raise his bow, arrow already nocked. She raised her shield in front of the portal and waited for the sound of the arrow hitting metal. When she heard nothing, she lowered her shield slightly, and saw the portal had dissipated. She lowered her weapon and looked around, a smile appearing at the familiar sights and sounds of Orgrimmar. She saw Bixi and Tythiri standing to the side, waiting for her, and a couple of trolls eyeing her fighting posture.

"Run into a bit of trouble, ey?" The male asked. Tythiri nodded calmly.

"Our friend here was showing us where not to open portals," she grinned down at Bixi, who reddened and lowered her head. Quinnadir stepped over to her and put a hand on her shoulder. She, too, grinned.

"At least it wasn't to Outland. I don't think you're quite ready to help us take on a fel reaver." Bixi looked up and a smile formed on her face at seeing the her friends were not upset with her.

"Let's go see if Salil can put us up for a couple of nights before we head out." Quinn started towards her friend's home, Tythiri and Bixi following behind her.

_**Back in the depths of Fangorn Forest...**_

Legolas moved to the tree where his arrow had imbedded itself after the 'portal' had disappeared. Gimli was stomping around where the ghostly wolf had fallen, cursing darkly in dwarvish at finding no sign of his kill.

"That still counts as one to your zero!" He yelled angrily at his elven friend, who smirked.

"If there's no proof, there's only your word to believe," he teased lightly. The smile fell from his face as he thought about the strange beings they had encountered, and the powers they had wielded. He put his weapons away, reminding himself to check the arrow for damage later.

"Come, Gimli. We must warn the people of Edoras of this possible threat." The dwarf looked at him, confused.

"But they have gone. We saw them disappear!" Gimli argued. Legolas shook his head.

"If they have the power to travel great distances through these-portals, then we must warn King Eomer," he explained.

"Well, then, if that means we have to leave this dark forest to warn against a green orc that can summon the ghosts of wolves, tiny goblins that open portals to distant lands, and long-eared..." he trailed off, not remembering what that one had called herself.

"Blood elf. She said she was a blood elf," Legolas reminded him.

Gimli nodded at him. "Well, the day is getting late. We'd best be off if we're to leave this forest by nightfall." He started back the way they had come, moving faster than he had when they had entered the ancient forest. Legolas smiled and shook his head. He took one last look around at the old trees, both searching for a threat that was no longer there and hearing the sounds of the trees he had hoped to get to know.

"I'll be back," he promised them, then turned to follow his companion out of the forest.


End file.
